You points are important ones. I am confident they'll go with December releases, and that they'll do Extended Editions in the exact same fashion as the LotR. Thos emovies made so much money, they'll be following the recipe very closely for these two new movies.

About the second movie being like a new book, it has been suggested by Darkstone, I believe (sorry of I got this wrong) that there could actually be a novelization of that movie. A new literary adeventure in the Thrid Age. We shall see. Here's to Del Toro becoming the Irvin Kershner of Middle Earth!